We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.ContinueFind out more

Definition of parsec in English:

parsec

(also pc)

noun

A unit of distance used in astronomy, equal to about 3.26 light years (3.086 × 10¹³ kilometers). One parsec corresponds to the distance at which the mean radius of the earth's orbit subtends an angle of one second of arc.

‘But cosmologists are so comfortable with millions and billions that none of them feel the urge to invent a unit much beyond the light-year or the parsec.’

‘For reference, one parsec is around three light years.’

‘The fact remained that the Rage fleet was within a parsec of Nova.’

‘I mean, all the ones that I've looked at so far are within 100 parsecs of 300 light years of the Sun.’

‘Their absolute magnitude is that of their appearance at 10 parsecs, or 32.6 light-years.’